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FIRE EXTINGUISHBR.

No. 596,623. Patented'Jan. 4,1898.

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FIRE BXTINGUISHER.

Patented Jan. 4,1898.

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ARTHUR O. ROWE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

vFIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,623, dated J' anuary4, 1898. Y

maman' med June 25,1897. serial No. 642,353. (Nofmodei.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Beit known that I, ARTHUR O. ROWE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain newand usefulImprovement-s in Fire-Extinguishers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a description.

My invention relates to chemical fire-extinguishers, in which an alkaline solution and an acid are made to mingle at the moment of use to form a name-extinguishing gas under pressure. Its objects are to provide a tight seal for the acid-receptacle, which shall protect the same completely from the air and the'- liquid in the main receptacle, but shall automatically release the acid on reversal of the machine; to provide, in a machine throwing liquid or dry gas interchangeably, means for continuing the regulated issue of the acid from the bottle no matter how many times the machine is re-reversed to provide means by which the dry gas may be formed under pressure, but be applied to the flames not under pressure, and a means for throwinga combination of dry gas and sand or other cooling substance upon the fire.

It consists, substantially, of the following devices, viz: a liquid seal of oil or like substance in a groove around the top of the acidreceptacle, in combination with a gravity valve or closure, such valve extending entirely over both the mouth of the bottle and its oil-trough, so as to form a cover for both, and having on its bottom an annular projection dipping into the oil-trough while the machine is upright and forming a distributingcup on reversal of the machine; a cage to contain both the acid-bottle and the gravityvalve, hung upon pivots in such way as to be automatically released on the reversal of the machine and to hang mouth downward thereafter, though the machine be re-reversed; a metal deliverytube to be attached to the nozzle, having a much greater diameter than the nozzle and forming both a conveyingchannel and an expanding-chamber for the dry gas, and adelivery-tube having are ceptacle for sand or other cooling material to be mingled with the gas and thrown with it upon the fire.

In the accompanying drawings, which show a machine capable of being used either as a dry-gas machine or one throwinga stream of mingled gas and water, Figure l is a sectional perpendicular view of the entire machine. Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged sectional views of two alternative forms of the acid-receptacle with its liquid seal and reversing-cage to hold it. Fig. 10 is a perspective of the reversingcage. Fig. 9 isa detail showinghow the cage is supported. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on line X, of the secondary chamber, looking downward.' Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the pipe a from the left-hand side. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the deliverytube. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the delivery-tube furnished with a receptacle for sand to throw sand and gas combined; and Fig. 6, a sectional view'of the delivery-tube, having a large opening at its end with gauze diaphragms. Fig. 1l is a varied form of the liquid seal.

A, Fig. l, is a closed cylinder having an open exit-pipe d, leading from a point near the bottom into a second cylinder B. The exit b from the cylinder B is also at a point near the bottom thereof and leads through a exible tube c and a metal delivery-tube cl i into the air, these passages being at all times open, without valves or stop-cocks.

To the head a of the cylinder A are attached two depending rods e, having slots e to receive the two pivots f', which form part of the cage C, Figs. 7 and 10. The cage Gis the part into which is put the bottle or other receptacle containing the acid. It consists of a head c', a base c", and four rods f, connecting them. One of the rods (see fm) swings on the circular strengthening-strip f" and engages with the base c" by means of a spring g. This rod can thus be swung up for the insertion of the acid-receptacle. Upon two opposite rods are the two pivots f. The cage C hangs by its pivots f from the rods c. The pivots j" are so placed that with the acidreceptacle inside the center of gravity is above the pivots f', and until the machine is reversed the cage and acid-receptacle are held in their upright position by means of a projection e in the base-bar connecting the rods e, which projection engages with a similar one g in the base of the cage C. Fig. 8 shows the simpler construction, as it has fewer parts than Fig. 7. It consists o4 a bot- IOO tle D, to be inserted within theY cage C, renovable for llling.- It has a circular ange d', which,with corresponding projections CZ just above it in the rods f of the cage, prevents its falling down on the reversal of the machine.

E is the valve or closure, made of lead or other material not acted upon by the acid, covering the mouth of the bottle until it is necessary to use the machine. Upon reversal of the machine it falls between the guides 7L until it meets the stop F. The stop F and guides 7i (of which there are three or four) are attached to the cage C. The valve E .is therefore always in position for use and cannot get lost.

A serious trouble heretofore had with machines using a gravity-closure for the acidreceptacle has been that the acid absorbs water from the air in the machine. This in time surely leads to its overflowing, and frequently leads to the freezing of the mingled acid and water, if the machine is kept in a cold spot, and so to its uselessness when needed. No gravity-closure alone can prevent this absorption of moisture by the acid. To obviate this difficulty entirely and at the same time preserve the gravity-valve, I provide a liquid seal., In the top of the bottle D is formed a shallow annular trough 'i to contain a little oil, and into this oil dips an annular projection j, formed on the bottom of the valve E. Only enough oil is putin to cover well the bottom of the projection j. Bybending over the lips fi' of the acid-receptacle two annular chambers are formed, and into these the oil runs when the machine is reversed7 so that little or none issues from the machine.

The gravity-valve E not only closes the mouth of the bottle D, but'it also forms a cover for the seal. In extinguishers of this class the liquid in the main receptacle frel quently rises nearly to the mouth of the bottle, and in the necessary handling it is almost sure to splash into the oil-trough i. This might destroy the seal by its freezing or by its changing the character of the liquid used for the seal. r:Fhe automatic valveE also has another function. It will be noted that on the reversal of the machine the projection j of the valve E, being of annular form, makes a sort of cup into which the acid pours. A very important feature in a chemical extinguisher is the proper mixing of the chemicals. In forms where this is not done acid is thrown out, goods are damaged, and the power is wasted; but the cup-shaped gravity-closure, properly adjusted, receives the acid, it being heavier than the surrounding water, and distributes it, insuring gradual and complete mixing. In the forms shown in Figs. 7 and 8 there is also a secondary trough formed upon the bottom of the gravity-valve F., which serves to further distribute t-he acid.

The operation of the machine as a whole is as follows: I-Iaving been charged, for example, with a saturated solution of bicarbonate of soda in the cylinder A and sulfuric acid in the bottle D, it can remain that way until needed, even -i'n a cold place and through severe freezing weather, without danger of the acid overflowing or freezing. When to be used, the whole machine is reversed, being grasped by the bar 7c. On reversal the valve E drops down upon the stop F and the acid mingles with the. soda solution, making carbonic-acid gas, which passes out through the pipe a into the chamber B, where the moisture is removed and dry gas issues from the delivery-tube d. Upon reversal the pivots f drop down through the slots e/ and release the projection g from the projection e", so that upon re-reversal of the machine the cage C will swing upon the pivots f with its mouth downward to allow the rest of the acid to is-A sue. When first used, the machine throws dry gas. Upon re-reversal it throws mingled gas and water.

The construction of the pipe ct where it opens into the chamber B is a peculiarity of my invention in connection with its use as a dry-gas machine. Almost perfect dryness in the gas is necessary for such use. When the gas comes from the chamber A it is mingled with spray. The especial features of this device are that it is delivered against the side of the compartment at an acute angle,not at right angles, where it canrun down without rebounding into the air of the compartment again; that it is delivered in a flattened stream, so that all particles of the moisture come in contact with the moisture on the side of the chamber and unite with them, and thatitis delivered in a downward spiral direction, while the gas is forced upward. The iiattened orifice of the pipe t delivering directly against the side of the chamber and at an acute angle is IOO shown at fm, Fig. 2, and the downward spiral direction is shown at m', Figs. l and 3.

Variations of the oil seal are shown in Figs. 7 and ll. In Fig. ll it consists simply of a shallow annular groove n cut in the top of the bottle N. The under surface of the valve E (if of glass) is ground, andthe upper surface of the bottle N is ground, so as-to secure an accurate fit. If then a few drops of oil or such substance not acted upon by the acid are inserted in the groove n, it adheres to the surface of the valve E and closes the mouth of the bottle effectually. Thus an exceedingly small quantity of oil can be used.

In Fig. 7 is shown the annular trough o, like that of Fig. 8, but instead of being formed in the acid-bottle itself it is formed in the top of a cylinder M, inclosing the bottle P. The cage O and its supporting-rods c are the same as in Fig. S. The bottle P may be made removable from its containing-cylinder M by a screw-bottom, (shown at p, the joint there being made air-tight.) The cage C may be made removable from its supporting-rods e by giving one of such rods e a hinge 'n' at the top and a hole-andnut connection at the bottom n.

In both Figs. 7 and ll the valve E is shown IIO IZO

described above.

y with the soda solution.

as covering not only the mouth of the bottle,

but the oily-trough as well, for the purpose In such a form as that shown in Fig. ll, where an exceedingly small quantity of oil can be used-justafew dropsthis covering of the oil-trough is especially essential, as a very small quantity of water added to it would destroy it as a seal.

The stop F consists of a thimble screwing upon a post o', affixed to the top c of the cage C. The purpose of thisl is as follows: It is desirable for different purposes to vary the speed at which the acid is allowed to mingle Thus a machine may be set up in a place where the likelihood is that in case of a fire a machine will be needed which will need a strong stream and quick action. In such case the stop F is adjusted at the time the machine is set up so as to allow the valve E to fall away completely from the mouth of the acid-receptacle. If a slow mingling of the acid and soda is likely to be needed, the stop F is adjusted, when the machine is set up, as near as desired to the valve E. A further purpose is to allow of proper adjustment of the stop F in case of acid-bottles differing in size. y

The met-al delivery-tube d acts as follows, Fig. 4: The opening z at theqend of the flexible tube c serves as a nozzle-4'. e., its diameter regulates the time of the delivery of the gas. In a machine of the proportions shown in the drawings, act-ing under a pressure of, say, ninety pounds t-o the square inch, with all the communications uncontracted-say, e. g., half an inch in diameter-the entire charge of gas would be spent in a quarter to a half a minute. This would be insufficient time to enable the operator to direct it upon the re effectively. Therefore theopening z must be contracted to, say, one thirty-second of an inch, thus gaining the necessary time to do the most effective work. (In the drawings, Fig. 4, the relative sizesof Zand t cannot be shown without reducing c so much as to destroy clearness. The nozzle z should be imagined as about one-sixteenth the diameter of t. The opening t, as shown, is about in proportion with the rest of the machine.)

. But if the opening of such a nozzle is placed as near the lire as may be-say even only an inch or two away-the effect is that the stream of gas issuing therefrom with great velocity sets in motion and carries with ita stream of air, which tends to feed the flame, thus neutralizing in a great measure the effect of the gas. The added tube (Z remedies this, owing not to its length but to the increased diameter of its bore t, which may be half an inch or more. The stream of gas issuing with velocity from the nozzle z expands many diameters and loses its velocity while passing through the tube d and is at the same time prevented from mingling with the air. The narrow opening .c could not be placed at t, for then we would have the same strong current of gas carrying a current of oxygen no matter how near to the fire was placed. On the othei1 hand, the opening z could not be enlarged to the size of t, for then the machine would discharge too quickly to be of practical use 5l but with z controlling the time of discharge and t the velocity of the stream both objects are accomplished. The function of keeping the hand of the operator away from the lire is entirely secondary. To act on the idea of the invention, the tube d need not be more than afoot or two long, though ordinarily I would make it of any necessary length-say four or ve feet long.

To make a practicable merchantable machine, especially of the reversible type, the gas must be formed under pressure. The delivery-tube CZ, in combination with such a machine, is therefore a device to form the gas under pressure and at the same time deliver i't upon the iiame without pressure-breathing it out, as it were. This feature-t'. e., delivery in volume without pressureis of especial use on surface fires, where the smothering effect of the gas has the freest scope, as is the usual kind on electrical switchboards, where water cannot be used nor any draft created without fanning the flames.

Fig. 6 shows a variation of the conveying- 'tube and expanding-chamber d of Fig. 4. In this fr' is a metal tube four or five feet long, having a semiglobular end r', Aand across the mouth are arranged one or more gauze par titions 0". The gas, which issues at great velocity from the narrow opening in the nozzle, expands in the larger opening of the tube, and upon reaching the large globular end o" is expanded severalhundred diameters in filling the larger space, thus reducing the velocity of the stream in corresponding measure. By this means the whole body of gas is delivered in a smothering volume upon the iiame and covering a large area of the burning surface.

Fig. 5 shows another attachment to beused with the dry gas, consisting of a metal tube s, upon which is arranged a receptacle s' to contain sand or other mineral substance, the effect of which is to cover and cool the burning parts. The sand runs down through the opening o into thetube s and is carried along by the stream of gas mingled with it to the re. The receptacle s is of such form that the sand will run in any position in which the tube s is likely to be held.

I claim as my inventionl. In a reversible chemical fire-extinguisher the combination of a main receptacle for the alkaline solution, an acid-receptacle within the main receptacle, a troughor space formed about the mouth of the acid-receptacleV and containing a liquid not acted upon by the acid, and a gravity-valve completely covering and closing the top of both the acid-receptacle and the trough; such valve touching the liq- IOO IIO

uid in the trough to form a liquid seal when the machine is upright, and falling away by gravity when the machine is reversed.

2. In a reversible fire-extinguisher, to throw liquid or dry gas interchangeably, the combination of an acid-receptacle, a gravity-closure therefor, pivots attached to the acid-receptacle below the center of gravity, supporting-rods attached to the machine having longitudinal slots to receive the pivots of the acid-receptacle, and a corresponding upright projection andsocket upon the aoid-recep-1 tacle and its support respectively; such pro- .jection and socket holding the acid-receptacle upright While the machine is upright, and disengaging by gravity when the machine is reversed.

3. The combination of a dry-gas fire-extin-v guisher having a contracted nozzle, to form the gas under pressure, and an additional delivery-tube, having its diameter greatly increased overthe diameter of the nozzle, to form both a closed conveying-channel and an expanding-chamber, and delivering the gas upon the fire under reduced pressure.

4. In combination with a dry-gas fire-extinguisher a metal de1ivery-tube, having upon the top thereof a receptacle for sand opening into such tube.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of June, 1897.

. ARTHUR C. ROWE.

Witnesses:

SALTER SToRRs CLARK, HERBERT H. KELLOGG. 

